Uneven parallel bars



INVENTOR.

g O BY @uw j Attorneys Jerame A. Kraw/'z I... r n r r r A r l r n l f l l Dec; .30, 1,969 J. A. KRAwlTz UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS Filed Jan. 1l, 196'? United States Patent O 3,486,750 UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS Jerome A. Krawitz, 13-15 Morlot Ave., Fairlawn, NJ. 07412 Filed Jan. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 608,620 Int. Cl. A63b 3/00 U.S. Cl. 272-63 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to body exercising apparatus for use outdoors upon a playground or indoors in a gymnasium and characterized by a pair of opposed uprights or posts provided on upper portions thereof with upper and lower horizontal bars used for gymnastic performances and display-of-skill purposes and which are commonly referred to in the art as uneven or asymmetric parallel bars.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are aware that dual and duplex type parallel postsupported horizontal bars are old and well-known as shown for example in a patent to Nissen et al. 3,232,609 and the selectively usable double parallel bar apparatus shown in a patent to Zadrozny 2,690,789. These are typical examples indicative of the state of the art to which the invention relates. It is submitted however that the prior art adaptations do not solve the over-all problem. Therefore, it is an object of the instant matter to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior adaptations wherein base means are provided that must Ibe fastened either to a solid base or to a floor in a permanent manner. To the ends desired the present invention has to do with posts and bars free of objectionable base means, this being a signilicantly satisfactory feature inasmuch as the person using the bars has a tendency to hit the base with the feet while swinging or otherwise utilizing the bars. It follows that the present invention features a construction which is possessed of minimal built-in hazards.

In carrying out the invention and differing from Nissen, 3,232,609, the present invention is devoid of cross-members on the oor, such as create a danger to the performer. The construction herein shown and described instead of using a complicated base and paired uprights or posts employs but two simple vertically telescopic posts with brackets atop the same to support the upper or top parallel bar. Median upper portions of the stationary components of the posts are provided with socket-like sleeves to accommodate the attaching and adjusting means for the end portions of the lower horizontal or parallel bars.

SUMMARY Briey, the present adaptation is characterized by a single pair of companion uprights having lower ends capable of being secured to a horizontal stationary iioor or an equivalent foundation, an upper parallel bar spanning the space between, horizontal to, and having means at its respective outer ends adjustably joined to coacting upper ends of said uprights and adjustably supported by said uprights, a lower parallel bar complemental to said upper bar and disposed in a plane below the plane of said ICC upper bar, spanning the space between and adjustably and detachably and having means at its respective outer ends joined to their respectively cooperable uprights in a predetermined plane below the upper ends of said uprights.

The invention features metal telescopically constructed posts or uprights for adjustably and removably supporting the uppermost bar through the medium of satisfactory couplings which join the ends of the bar, usually wooden, to the metal posts. Novelty is also predicated on the lateral or horizontal socket-like members which adjustably support the lower parallel bar in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of an uneven parallel bar apparatus constructed in accordance with the prnciples of the present invention'.

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the plane of the vertical line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is ia fragmentary detailed section and elevation on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1 slightly enlarged.

FIG. 4 is a view detailing the manner in which the lower end of each upright or post is anchored. v

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section slightly enlarged taken on the section line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Inasmuch as the apparatus is primarly designed for use in -a gymnasium it can be economically and acceptably produced for this purpose in that, as a general rule, the floor A is provided as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 with embedded disk-like collars or plates B, each plate secured by screws or the like C and having a keeper hole D in line with a socket E. Since many gymnasiums are already provided with these anchor plates, the present invention lends itself to practical use in connection therewith.

The aforementioned uprights are properly paired and are of duplicate construction. Each upright or post is denoted generally by the numeral 6. The lower vertically elongated tubular section is denoted at 8 and is provided in its bottom with a bushing 10 which is xed in place and which in turn is provided with an axial stud which constitutes a holddown pin 11 and has its lower keeper portion 13 arranged to iit into the keeper hole D (FIG. 4). The section 8 is the main section and serves to provide a receiver for the upper telescoping slightly shorter post section 12 which is of requisite length and cross-section and is fitted telescopically in the section 8. This section 12 is provided with longitudinally spaced keeper holes 14 for selective accommodation of an inserta-ble and removable substantially L-shaped adjusting and retaining pin 16 which has a horizontal portion 18 and a vertical accessible end portion 20 whereby to permit the result desired to be accomplished wherein (FIG. 3) the projecting end portion of the retainer pin engages the top end 22 of the main post section 8 to thus provide both a separable and adjustable connection. If needed, and this is generally desirable, a substantially T-shaped setscrew 24 is provided and is carried by the stationary post section 8 and is engageable with the adjustable section 12 for positive assembling and retaining results. The upper end of the adjustable section is provided with a sectional substantially T-shaped coupling which is denoted by the numeral 26. This coupling comprises a collar 28 which is itted over the section 12 and is secured in place by an assembling and retaining bolt 30. The collar carries a horizontal semicircular integral stirrup 32 which seats an end portion 34 of the upper wooden or equivalent parallel bar 36. A semi-circular companion cap 38 is provided and is capped over the end portion 34 and is held in place by assembling and retaining screws 40 which pass through the coacting parts in the manner shown in FIG. 3 to provide a desired separable but reliable coupling between the parallel bar and the upper adjustable post section 12. Assuming that the adjustable telescoping posts are anchored in place on the floor A (FIG. 4) and that the posts 6 are properly aligned and uniformly adjusted and further assuming that the rail or parallel bar 36 is coupled in place it will be evident that this bar spans the space between the adjustable posts as shown in FIG. l. For greater stability it is desired that each post or upright should be provided with brace means. To accomplish this result outwardly and downwardly diverging guy wires or cables 42 are provided. Each cable has an upper end 44 connected with an eye provided for that purpose as at 46, the eye being secured rigidly to the main post section 8. The median portion of each cable is provided with turnbuckle means 48 and the lower end is suitably constructed as at 50 and anchored to an appropriate holddown eye screw 52 mounted in the oor, as at 54.

The bottom or lower parallel bar, also of wood, is denoted at 56 and is of the same length and cross-section as the bar 36. In practice both bars may be and preferably are slightly ovate in cross-section as is customary in the trade. Each outer end of the bar 56 is provided with a substantially T-shaped adapter lwhich is denoted as a unit by the numeral 58. This adapter (see FIG. comprises a tubular or equivalent shank 60 provided with a cradle 62 for the end portion 64 of the coacting bar, said end portion being held in place by a cap plate 66 which in turn is secured by fastening screws or the like 68. The shank 60 is fitted telescopingly into a lateral sleeve 70 which is integral with the upper end portion of the post section 8 and provides a socket member. The shank 60 fits telescopingly in place and is held in the position desired by the T-shaped setscrew 72 also shown in FIG. 5. It follows that while the elevation of the bottom bar 56 is not changeable it is nevertheless adjustable toward and from the uprights or posts so as to vary the space between the two companion bars 36 and 56 respectively.

Uneven parallel bars are customarily built to the size and specifications prescribed by the Federation of International Gymnastics. Generally most of the equipment of this type in use today is of a heavy-duty and often costly type and primarily adapted for use by men. In the present adaption it is believed that the component parts can be built at less expense and mass produced and will serve the needs of the manufacturers and users to advantage. The bars 36 and 56 are supported on two uprights or posts as compared, ordinarily, to four uprights on existing equipment. This equipment can be set up in a gymnasium using the existing floor space commonly employed for present-day horizontal bars. There is no need for heavy base means to keep the apparatus in a reliably secure state. Moreover the equipment can be disassembled easily for storage. By removal of the bottom bar 56 the top or upper bar 36 can be used by itself.

The bars 36 and 56 are made of wood according to the requirements and specifications of the aforementioned Federation of International Gynastics. The guy wires insure stability but are out of the way and do not, generally speaking, constitute hazards for trained and skilled users and performers. It follows that the over-all invention will serve the purposes for which it is intended.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in a gymnasium or elsewhere, a pair of cooperating posts, each post comprising a main tubular section the lower end of which is adapted to be removably anchored in place on a relatively stationary oor or similar support surface and a complemental auxiliary section fitting telescopingly into an upper end of said main tubular section and provided at an upper end with a substantially T-shaped coupling, means providing a manually regulatable connection between the respective post sections to permit the height of said posts to be regulated and set, a standard parallel bar spanning the space between said posts and having end portions thereof joined respectively with said T-shaped couplings, each main tubular section being provided downwardly from its upper end with a lateral integral sleeve-like member providing a socket, a pair of substantially T-shaped adapters, each adapter having a shank, said shank adjustably telescopingly removably fitting into the coacting socket, and a second parallel bar disposed on a level below the first named bar and having end portions joined with the respectively cooperable T-shaped adapters.

2,. The apparatus according to claim 1 and, in combination, each post being provided with outwardly and downwardly diverging guy wires, the upper ends of said wires being joined to diametrically opposite sides of the coacting main tubular section, each guy wire having tension adjusting means and the lower end of each guy wire being constructed for secure anchorage on said oor.

3. For use in a gymnasium or the like, uneven bars comprising a pair of companion posts, each post comprising a relatively stationary main tubular section the lower end of which is provided with self-contained means which is adapted to be removably anchored in a given place on a relatively stationary floor or similar support surface and a complemental auxiliary section fitting telescopingly and retentively into an upper end of the main tubular section, means providing a manually regulatable connection between the respective post sections and serving to permit the height of said posts to be regulated and set for use, a standard gymnastic horizontal bar spanning the space between and having outer end portions securely clamped atop cooperable upper ends 0f the respectively coordinated auxiliary sections of said posts, each main tubular section being provided on a predetermined side with a xedhorizontally disposed outstanding rigid sleeve-like member open at an outer end and providing a socket, said sleeve-like members being disposed at a level downwardly from the upper ends of said main tubular sections and assuming a fixed level at a predetermined height above the level of said fioor, a second gymnastic horizontal bar commensurate in length with the length of said first-named gymnastic bar and spanning the space between coacting outer ends of said sleeve-like members, and adapters carried by the respective outer ends of said second gymnastic bar and detachably and telescopingly cooperatively connected with their complemental sleeve-like members, whereby to permit said first horizontal bar to be vertically adjusted and to permit said second horizontal bar to be adjusted in a plane horizontal to said first-named horizontal bar.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,632 3/1889 Reach 272-62 860,517 7/1907 Berglund 272-63 1,085,486 1/ 1914 Rosenberger 272-62 2,690,789 10/ 1954 Zadrozny 272-63 2,819,755 1/1958 Berger 272-63 3,384,368 5/1968 IFenner 272-62 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner R. W. DIAZ, Assistant Examiner 

